Retaining wall support device

ABSTRACT

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a retaining wall which is available in separate combinable parts of simple construction effecting a retaining wall of improved strength and durability, including a series of spaced-apart stake elements having grooves in each of lateral faces such that baffle elements are slideable between the stake elements into the opposing grooves thereby making it possible to drive down consecutive serially arranged stake elements spaced apart from one-another the width of the baffle element, and thereafter sliding the baffle elements downwardly into the opposing grooves and locking the baffle elements against axial sliding movement thereafter, and securing a back-bracing structure thereto at upper and lower portions of the baffle element each portion respectively of each of the interspaced baffle elements interspaced alternately between the consecutive series of stake elements, each back support including an inclined support shaft attached to the upper portion of the baffle element by an insertable locking-fit structure and the lower portion of the inclined support shaft being detachably securable to a rearward end of the horizontal flat-faced structure having a flat face on each of opposite faces extending each uprightly, and the forward end of the horizontal flat-faced element being attached to the base of the baffle element and thereafter earth fill piled on top of the upwardly-directed flat face to thereby anchor the support structure, preferably filling the earth fill upwardly to the entire height of the stake and baffle elements.

1451 Mar. 11, 1975 Unite States tent 1 1 Irsai RETAINING WALL SUPPORT DEVICE eluding a series of spaced-apart stake elements having [76] grooves in each of lateral faces such that baffle elements are slideable between the stake elements into the opposing grooves thereby makin Inventor: Eugene Irsai, 163 Greenway South, Forest Hills, NY. 11375 Dec. 27, 1973 g it possible to [22] Filed:

drive down consecutive serially arranged stake elements spaced apart from one-another the width of the baffle element, and thereafter sliding the baffle ele- Appl. No.: 428,815

ments downwardly into the opposing grooves and locking the baffle elements against axial sliding movement thereafter, and securing a back-b racing structure fthe baffle element each portion respectively of each of the interspaced baffle elements interspaced alternately between the consecutive series of stake elements, each 909 606 I l l 2 2 5 5 9 5 0 m 9 4 .1 "M9 Mb NW m m h N c r u a u e S n f C0 H mm UIF III 2 8 555 [ll thereto at upper and lower portions 0 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS back support including an inclined support shaft attached to the upper portion of the baffle element by an insertable locking-fit structure and the lower portion of the inclined support shaft being detachably securable to a rearward end of the horizontal flat-faced Collier et al...........

structure having a flat face on each of opposite faces extending each uprightly, and the forward end of the 1,402 l/1908 Great Britain.,........

horizontal flat-faced element being attached to the base of the baffle element and thereafter earth fill Primary Examiner-Jacob Shapiro piled on top of the upwardly-directed flat face to thereby anchor the support structure, preferably filling the earth fill upwardly to the entire height of the stake and baffle elements.

[57] ABSTRACT In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a ret aining wall which is available in separate combinable parts of simple construction effecting a retaining wall of improved strength and durability, in- 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEB MAR! H975 sum 10; z

- BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Prior to the present invention, there have existed numerous complicated and impractical sorts of retaining walls from the standpoint of required great strength and durability while concurrently being of simple structure particularly of the type that may be mass produced and shipped and assembled on site, with a minimum of experience and insulation time required, the prior devices because of the lack of these attributes and benefits being substantially impractical and unacceptable competitively on the market today at a time of high costs of materials and labor. Also, because of the high cost of materials and labor, as well as the desired perfection of product, the strength and durability of prior devices have been less than satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION DISCLOSURE Broadly the invention is directed to objects overcoming one or more of the difficulties and problems and disadvantages of the type discussed above.

Another object includes a new structure and method of installation of a retaining wall device.

Another object is to provide a retaining wall structure adaptable to varying environmental conditions.

Other objects are apparent from the preceding and following disclosure.

One or more objects of the present invention are obtained by the invention as defined herein.

Broadly the invention includes a series of stake elements of such cross-sectional configuration as to be receivable between baffles alternately between spacedapart stake elements of the series, with opposite edges of the respective baffle elements being shaped to coordinatedly locably mesh as the baffle elements are mounted in contact with opposing faces of adjacent spaced-apart stake elements, with the baffle element being lockable into its inserted position between the spaced-apart stake elements, together with backsupport bracing structure secured to at least one of the stake element and baffle element of each consecutive pair thereof, an upper face of a lower situated horizontal structure being positioned to receive earth-fill or concrete or rock or any other type of fill composition on top thereof of the flat face such that the weighteddown flat-face anchors-down the bracing element which fixedly thereby secures the baffle and stake elements against torque forces acting against the retaining wall ofjoined stake elements and baffle elements alternately. Preferably the bracing support is detachably lockable at its base and at the top of the inclined support element to a rearward face of the baffle structure at each respectively of a base portion and an upper portion of the baffle element after the baffle element has been slid axially longitudinally into its lock-position between adjacent spaced-apart driven-down stake elements in the opposing grooves of adjacent spaced-apart stake elements. Accordingly, the stake elements are driven downwardly into the earth bed a predetermined depth of desired preferred depth-anchoring engineering capability. and thereafter the baffle elements are slid downwardly between adjacent spaced-apart stake elements, and thereafter the back-bracing supports are assembled and attached lockably the upper and lower back faces as described above and as illustrated in the Figures to be described hereafter, ofthe respective baffle elements or of the respective stake elements, followed by the pouring of the land fill material, onto the top of the lower upwardly facing flat face of the horizontal bracing support structure, in a series of simple and speedy operations.

The invention may be better understood by reference to the following Figures.

THE FIGURES FIG. 1 illustrates in a back and side perspective view a typical and preferred embodiment of the present invention in partial cut-away and partial cross-section.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side cross-sectional view as taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side in-part cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment, this view corresponding to that of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates an in-part elevation in-part crosssectional back-side view of the FIG. 3 embodiment as taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates an in-part-cutaway view of a slidable baffle member which is a component part of the combination illustrated in FIG. 1, in perspective view thereof.

FIG. 6 illustrates in perspective view a baffle member in partial view thereof of the combination of the FIGS. 3 and 4 embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a view as taken along lines 77 of FIG. 3, therefore in partial cross-section and in perspective view thereof.

FIG. 8 illustrates a still further embodiment in an inpart view in back and side perspective, for the spikedrivable element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In greater detail, the FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 illustrate a particular preferred embodiment of the present invention. In particular, the novel sea retaining wall 9 includes a combination of elements with fill or dirt III-shown in cut-awaynormally piled on top of surfaces 22 and 23 respectively and surface 24 of the brace support elements 18, 17, and 16 respectively as a massive weight which thereby anchors these support elements 18, 17 and 16 into a non-movable securing state in their respective supporting functions in being pressed against the rearward face 31 of the baffle element 12 of FIG. 1 and 5, thereby preventing the baffle element 12 from being pressed rearwardly from between the side-track spaces of opposed spike-elements 11 into which the baffle element is slid from position 12' after the spikeelements 11 are driven downwardly from position 11, the base end of the element 12 having mounted thereon a downwardly directed wedge element for securing the lower end within the substrate ground as a further anchor and to avoid against leakage of water therebeneath. The forward end of the flat member 18 rests on the upper edge-surface 25 of member 13, and the lower face of member 17 rests on upper edge 26 of the member 15, and the upper end-face of element 16 rests against the lower face 27 of the element 14, the elements 13, 15 and 14 being each fixedly secured to the back face 26 as illustrated in the FIGS. 1 and 5. Typically, also. there is provided a base member 19 secured to the member 18 rearward end such as to provide a forwardly directed face 28 against which the lower end 16b of the member 16 may be braced while the upper end is braced against the lower face 27, as upper end 16a. In like manner, typically, there is included a member 21 secured to a lower face 30 of member 16 so as to provide an upper edge surface 29 against which the bottom face of element 16 rests. The member 19 typically provides the cavity 20 into which the member 18 rearward end is securable, the upper and lower surfaces of the U-clamp 19 providing greater strength and support for the pressure rearwardly of the end 16b against surface 28 and against upper surface 22 of member 18. The elements 13, l4, l5, and 19 and 21 are typically secured by bolts, nuts, and/or brads or the like, as illustrated.

In the FIGS. 3, 4, 6, and 7, there is illustrated a second typical embodiment of the invention, in which parts corresponding to similar or identical elements of the above described embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, are identified as the same except with an additional a designation, as 16a corresponds to 16, for example. This embodiment differs in two main respects, instead of the support members 160, 17a and 17b, and 18a and 18b being each a member having an upper flat face, broad-enough to be efficiently anchored by fill earth or other equivalent fill material, instead these members 16a, 17a, and 18a are merely standard structure but mountable of specially designed very-broad-faced member 35 and 36 having mounting downwardly spaced apart dual flanges 34 and mounted on respective surfaces 170 and 18a; also, the illustrated support members are secured to the flange 33a of the plate 33b mounted on back face of member baffle 12a.

FIG. 8 embodiment differs from either of the abovenoted embodiments only in the support 16x, and the other equivalent support members being secured to the rear face of the spike-element instead of to the rear face of the baffle element. The baffle element would continue to slide downwardly into place just as in the two fore-going disclosed embodiments, typically. Accordingly, further illustration of this embodiment is not necessary since it may be identical otherwise to either of the above-described embodiments.

A major utility and achievement of the present invention is the simplicity of steps of erection of the structure such as in particular the deeply driven lower ends of the spike elements 12 together with the long brace support elements 18 weighted by filler thereon,jointly elements 12 and 18 serving to totally anchor and brace the base of the erected retaining wall 9 from slipping or pivoting outwardly in the common event of the sea floor givingway in a seaward direction. This is in contrast to prior art sea-retaining walls which typically have solely the top of the wall secured as by a dead-man brace, which does not prevent the outward pivoting of the base of the wall.

In like manner it is within the scope and spirit of the present invention to make such modifications and substitutions of equivalents as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill.

I claim:

1. A retaining wall device comprising in combination: a series of stake guide elements each of elongated shape axially longitudinally upright having a lower end thereof extending a predetermined depth below earth level into which the stake guide element is sunk, the upright elements of the series being parallel to oneanother and consecutively spaced apart in the series each a predetermined spacing distance from adjacent stake guide elements of the series; a plurality of separate baffle elements each of longitudinally axially elongated shape having its longitudinal axis upright and defining opposite lateral edges extending uprightly each of predetermined shape flushly meshable with one of two opposite upright side edges of an adjacent one of the upright elements with which the baffle elements are interspersed, and including locking structure means such that the meshed lateral edges are fixedly locked to respective meshed upright elements side edges secure against forward and backward movements from alignment between serially arranged stake guide elements on either side of respective baffle elements, and locked securely against axial movement longitudinally; earthweight anchoring-support means comprising for each consecutive pair of adjacent stake guide element and baffle element a substantially horizontal means defining a broad upper face having a substantially wide predetermined width and a substantially long predetermined length anchored at one end thereof attached to said baffle element at a lower end portion of the baffle element at a back-side face of the baffle element such that the horizontal means extends substantially horizontally rearwardly, and an inclined bracing element axially longitudinally elongated secured fixedly to a rearward end portion of the horizontal means-at one end of the bracing element and the remaining end of the bracing element being secured fixedly to an upper end portion of said baffle element, said predetermined width and said predetermined length being sufficiently large for fill-material placed thereon to anchor the baffle element against a base of the baffle element pivoting outwardly; and fill-material being filled on top of the upper face at a fill-material predetermined height sufficient for the mass thereof to anchor the bracing element against said pivoting outwardly as a result of movement by torque forces against forward faces of the stake guide elements and baffle elements, each stake guide element defining on each of opposite lateral upright faces an upright groove, and in which the groove opposite lateral edges of each baffle are shaped to have a cross-section such that the baffle element is axially slidable downwardly between spaced-apart stake guide elements within opposing grooves of the adjacent stake guide elements before being anchored fixedly by said fill-material, said horizontal means being fixedly anchored to a lower end portion of the baffle element with the inclined bracing element secured at an upper end of the baffle element fixedly to a rearward face of an upper portion of the baffle element to which the attached horizontal means is fixedly secured, each baffle element having a substantially flat forward face and an opposite substantially flat rearward face; and lock means for fixedly mounting the earth-weight anchoring-support means to its respective baffle element, there being a separate earth-weight anchoring-support means for each of the respective baffle elements, and each baffle element having a downwardly-directed wedge-shaped bottom terminal end.

2. A retaining wall device of claim 1, in which said horizontal means comprises a substantially horizontally-positioned beam and a separate broad faced sheet structure extending substantially horizontally rearwardly a predetermined distance and lying substantially horizontally across the horizontally-positioned beam, and the fill-material being filled on top of the broadfaced sheet structure such that the weighted-down sheet structure anchors the horizontal beam therebeneath securedly.

3. A retaining wall device of claim 2, in which stake guide element groove structure defines the groove along each of the lateral upright edges substantially the entire length of the portion located above the earth level into which the stake guide element is sunk.

4. A process for erecting a retaining wall device comprising in combination: driving spaced-apart separate stake elements into a body of ground-earth downwardly for a predetermined distance; slidably axially inserting between the spaced-apart separate stake elements in contact with each of opposing faces of the spaced-apart separate stake elements a flat-faced and wedge-ended baffle element extending parallel to the stake elements; and locking-in the baffle element each respectively, against axial sliding movement; and securing a flat-upper-faced elongated broad-faced support means for securedly attaching to and anchoring a lower portion of the baffle element with the support means extending rearwardly horizontally; securing an inclined support member at opposite ends thereof, one end to a rearward end portion of the horizontal support means and the other remaining end to an upper portion of the secured one of the stake elements and the baffle elements. 

1. A retaining wall device comprising in combination: a series of stake guide elements each of elongated shape axially longitudinally upright having a lower end thereof extending a predetermined depth below earth level into which the stake guide element is sunk, the upright elements of the series being parallel to one-another and consecutively spaced apart in the series each a predetermined spacing distance from adjacent stake guide elements of the series; a plurality of separate baffle elements each of longitudinally axially elongated shape having its longitudinal axis upright and defining opposite lateral edges extending uprightly each of predetermined shape flushly meshable with one of two opposite upright side edges of an adjacent one of the upright elements with which the baffle elements are interspersed, and including locking structure means such that the meshed lateral edges are fixedly locked to respective meshed upright elements'' side edges secure against forward and backward movements from alignment between serially arranged stake guide elements on either side of respective baffle elements, and locked securely against axial movement longitudinally; earth-weight anchoring-support means comprising for each consecutive pair of adjacent stake guide elements and baffle element a substantially horizontal means defining a broad upper face having a substantially wide predetermined width and a substantially long predetermined length anchored at one end thereof attached to said baffle element at a lower end portion of the baffle element at a back-side face of the baffle element such that the horizontal means extends substantially horizontally rearwardly, and an inclined bracing element axially longitudinally elongated secured fixedly to a rearward end portion of the horizontal means at one end of the bracing element and the remaining end of the bracing element being secured fixedly to an upper end portion of said baffle element, said predetermined width and said predetermined length being sufficiently large for fill-material placed thereon to anchor the baffle element against a base of the baffle element pivoting outwardly; and fill-material being filled on top of the upper face at a fill-material predetermined height sufficient for the mass thereof to anchor the bracing element against said pivoting outwardly as a result of movement by torque forces against forward faces of the stake guide elements and baffle elements, each stake guide element defining on each of opposite lateral upright faces an upright groove, and in which the groove opposite lateral edges of each baffle are shaped to have a crosssection such that the baffle element is axially slidable downwardly between spaced-apart stake guide elements within opposing grooves of the adjacent stake guide elements before being anchored fixedly by said fill-material, said horizontal means being fixedly anchored to a lower end portion of the baffle element with the inclined bracing element secured at an upper end of the baffle element fixedly to a rearward face of an upper portion of the baffle element to which the attached horizontal means is fixedly secured, each baffle element having a substantially flat forward face and an opposite substantially flat rearward face; and lock means for fixedly mounting the earth-weight anchoring-support means to its respective baffle element, there being a separate earth-weight anchoring-support means for each of the respective baffle elements, and each baffle element having a downwardly-directed wedge-shaped bottom terminal end.
 1. A retaining wall device comprising in combination: a series of stake guide elements each of elongated shape axially longitudinally upright having a lower end thereof extending a predetermined depth below earth level into which the stake guide element is sunk, the upright elements of the series being parallel to one-another and consecutively spaced apart in the series each a predetermined spacing distance from adjacent stake guide elements of the series; a plurality of separate baffle elements each of longitudinally axially elongated shape having its longitudinal axis upright and defining opposite lateral edges extending uprightly each of predetermined shape flushly meshable with one of two opposite upright side edges of an adjacent one of the upright elements with which the baffle elements are interspersed, and including locking structure means such that the meshed lateral edges are fixedly locked to respective meshed upright elements'' side edges secure against forward and backward movements from alignment between serially arranged stake guide elements on either side of respective baffle elements, and locked securely against axial movement longitudinally; earth-weight anchoring-support means comprising for each consecutive pair of adjacent stake guide elements and baffle element a substantially horizontal means defining a broad upper face having a substantially wide predetermined width and a substantially long predetermined length anchored at one end thereof attached to said baffle element at a lower end portion of the baffle element at a back-side face of the baffle element such that the horizontal means extends substantially horizontally rearwardly, and an inclined bracing element axially longitudinally elongated secured fixedly to a rearward end portion of the horizontal means at one end of the bracing element and the remaining end of the bracing element being secured fixedly to an upper end portion of said baffle element, said predetermined width and said predetermined length being sufficiently large for fill-material placed thereon to anchor the baffle element against a base of the baffle element pivoting outwardly; and fill-material being filled on top of the upper face at a fill-material predetermined height sufficient for the mass thereof to anchor the bracing element against said pivoting outwardly as a result of movement by torque forces against forward faces of the stake guide elements and baffle elements, each stake guide element defining on each of opposite lateral upright faces an upright groove, and in which the groove opposite lateral edges of each baffle are shaped to have a cross-section such that the baffle element is axially slidable downwardly between spaced-apart stake guide elements within opposing grooves of the adjacent stake guide elements before being anchored fixedly by said fill-material, said horizontal means being fixedly anchored to a lower end portion of the baffle element with the inclined bracing element secured at an upper end of the baffle element fixedly to a rearward face of an upper portion of the baffle element to which the attached horizontal means is fixedly secured, each baffle element having a substantially flat forward face and an opposite substantially flat rearward face; and lock means for fixedly mounting the earth-weight anchoring-support means to its respective baffle element, there being a separate earth-weight anchoring-support means for each of the respective baffle elements, and each baffle element having a downwardly-directed wedge-shaped bottom terminal end.
 2. A retaining wall device of claim 1, in which said horizontal means comprises a substantially horizontally-positioned beam and a separate broad-faced sheet structure extending substantially horizontally rearwardly a predetermined distance and lying substantially horizontally across the horizontally-positioned beam, and the fill-material being filled on top of the broad-faced sheet structure such that the weighted-down sheet structure anchors the horizontal beam therebeneath securedly.
 3. A retaining wall device of claim 2, in which stake guide element groove structure defines the groove along each of the lateral upright edges substantially the entire length of the portion locatEd above the earth level into which the stake guide element is sunk. 